Supporting Civic Leaders in the Field
Civic leadership today means navigating unprecedented complexity: community trauma, public distrust, polarized discourse, funding uncertainties, and burnout inside our institutions. Yet many people – even leaders – have not had the opportunity to develop the skills needed to navigate such complexity.
I build the capacity of boards, teams, and communities to work better together – especially amid complexity.
Training on its own isn’t enough. Leaders often struggle to prioritize their own growth because so many urgent demands compete for their time. That’s why I prefer a learn-by-doing approach. When I facilitate the completion of real work while weaving in education and reflection, leadership capacity grows alongside progress on the task at hand.
For boards, strategic planning sessions or leadership retreats – when designed with care – create an excellent opportunity to strengthen leadership and collaboration while moving forward on concrete deliverables. For staff, I design workshops that take on real engagement challenges, while introducing concepts and tools participants can continue to use long after.
“Working with Christy on this project has been remarkable. Her leadership brings the best kind of stimulation – moving fluidly from intellectual dialogue to on-the-ground action, and back again. It’s been a gift to wrestle with ideas alongside her.” – Professor at UNC’s School of Government, specializing in public leadership, collaborative governance, and civic engagement
How I Work with Local Governments
In every engagement, I bring a trauma-aware, systems-savvy, strategic approach, moving at a human pace. I meet each group where they are, recognizing the pressures and possibilities of public service today. I employ practical tools for gaining insight, building trust, and ensuring meaningful engagement. Together, we create space to reflect, learn, and chart strategic paths forward.
“You are amazing! I am so fortunate and appreciative to have the opportunity to work with you. I truly appreciate your patience and all the time and energy you have devoted to this project.” – Local government finance officer
Services & Areas of Support
Building Capacity & Learning
I help people strengthen their ability to lead and work together over time through educational experiences, tools, and practices that practically anchor collaborative, adaptive leaders and their teams. Examples: collaborative leadership workshops and coaching, trauma-informed practices coaching and consulting, network development coaching (often unfolding over several months).
Strategy & Systems Work
I consult with networks, organizations, and civic leaders to help surface invisible forces at play, clarify shared purpose, and chart practical paths forward through complexity. Examples: collaborative strategy processes, system-mapping projects, network kick-offs (from a few weeks to a few months).
Facilitating & Convening
I help design and guide meetings, retreats, and processes where groups can face complexity, build trust, and move forward together. Examples: board or staff retreats (often 1–2 days), cross-sector convenings, multi-stakeholder workshops.
Sampling of Projects
Board Retreats
Facilitate life-affirming and energizing board retreats to build teams and promote strategic thinking. Results: clear “bold steps” to inform budget priorities and more cohesive, authentic team dynamics.
Better Budgeting
Build small town capacity for better budgeting and communication practices to build trust. Results: shift in thinking to a five-year horizon; accolades from board members for a budget document that makes it easier to engage.
Resilient Leaders
Champion trauma-aware leadership practices within disaster recovery service delivery. Results: exceptionally high engagement among county staff in Resource for Resilience‘s “Leading Through Hard Times” workshops
Community Engagement
Facilitate community-led public participation process for comprehensive planning effort. Results: surprise from both consultants and stakeholders at the number and diversity of new voices that engaged the process, which led UNC School of Government to invite me to develop a workshop on public participation methods.
Local Government Effectiveness
Develop resilience-building and relationship-building capacity within county government, and foster connections with trusted community members. Results: expanded service delivery into communities which had been reluctant to engage with government (but also felt overlooked by government), and reports of greater county staff job satisfaction and well-being.
If you’re ready to explore ways to build civic leadership and public trust in your community, I offer 30-minute exploratory calls for civic leaders – an informal space to share your context and see what support might be useful. I’d love to start a conversation.